Ann Arbor State Senator Jeff Irwin has sponsored two bills dealing with oil and gas production in Michigan.
SB 140 would increase the fees paid by oil and gas companies to help pay the cost of permit and well inspections. Irwin says the state established the fees years ago to cover the costs of the employees who do that work.
However, he says for the past ten years, the fees haven’t covered the cost. Irwin says the collection is about $4 million short.
“My bill increases those fees to the level that such that the oil and gas industry will once again pay for the cost of the programs that facilitate and manage their work here in Michigan.”
The other bill, SB 141, would work to reduce fugitive methane. It would give regulators tools to reduce methane and other volatile compound emissions released at the wellhead by 95%.
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